Chicago teams proving that if you channel emotions positively, you can gain just enough of an edge to turn a playoff series

In one dramatic 86-minute span Friday night, Chicago sports reinforced the power of its passion.

9:47 p.m.: The Bulls rallied to beat the Wizards 100-97 at the Verizon Center in Washington in a game tied until Jimmy Butler drilled a 3-pointer with 24.2 seconds remained. A Nene no-no — the Wizards center was ejected in the fourth quarter and subsequently suspended for Sunday's Game 4 after foolishly head-butting Butler — created an opportunity the head-strong Bulls seized.

10:03 p.m.: On a breakaway at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews beat Blues goalie Ryan Miller with a backhand at the 7-minute, 36-second mark of overtime that broke the spirit of St. Louis. A long pass from Duncan Keith luckily bounced off Andrew Shaw's shin pad into the open ice and Toews did the rest, giving the Hawks their first back-to-back overtime victories in a playoff series in 19 years, according to CSN Chicago.

11:13 p.m.: With the bases loaded and two outs at U.S. Cellular Field, White Sox slugger and American League Rookie of the Year favorite Jose Abreu delivered a walk-off grand slam against Rays closer Grant Balfour to which words fail to do justice. Unless they are Hawk Harrelson's words, which made me chuckle watching a replay on my phone walking out of the hockey rink late Friday night.

"That ball hit hard, get over his head, way back, he looks up,'' Hawk began, his inimitable voice raising. "You can put it on the boarrrrrrrrd, yes! Yes! Yes! … Our kids just will not quit!''

Neither will the drama. To generate revenue, Mayor Rahm Emanuel really should find an antacid company to sponsor the city's sporting events this month. If the Cubs had beaten the Brewers on Friday night on a Mike Olt home run, Twitter might have exploded in cyberspace somewhere over Lake Michigan.

Emotion indeed created quite a commotion last week in our local sports scene, from Friday night's trio of triumphs to the Wrigley Field's botched 100th birthday party to Northwestern's historic vote on a football players union. Managing emotions also has become one of the biggest factors in how the Bulls and Blackhawks playoff series have unfolded.

Covering both series, it was impossible not to notice, after losses by their respective teams, the contrast in Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau's determined defiance and Blues coach Ken Hitchcock's psychological surrender. Big games aren't always won from the shoulders down.

Remember after losing Game 3 to the Blackhawks when Hitchcock introduced the idea publicly that the Blues lacked the resolve of the defending Stanley Cup champions? His words became a self-fulfilling prophecy as the Blues — closer to the Hawks in talent than any playoff team — lost two straight overtime games after Hitchcock's proclamation.

Hitchcock might be right about the Hawks' mindset; their 13-3 record on the road for Games 4 through 7 under coach Joel Quenneville isn't all because of superior skill and speed. But usually the opposing coach lets somebody else lay on the praise so thick.

In an imperfect game that values intangibles, a team's state of mind matters and thanks partly to Hitchcock the Blues arrive for Game 6, in the words of longtime St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz, "tired and torn … demoralized and on the brink of defeat.''

Thibodeau, on the other hand, ceded nothing psychologically after the Bulls lost two straight at home. Instead of getting philosophical, Thibodeau flashed his fiery demeanor that accurately depicted the never-say-die Bulls.

Asked a fair question after a Game 2 loss about changing his rotation because of repeated fourth-quarter droughts, Thibodeau scoffed like someone whose patience was threadbare.

"Uh, we look at everything,'' Thibodeau said before sighing. "Unreal.''

On cue, the Bulls channeled their collective frustration in a positive direction to win Game 3 — letting the Wizards be the ones who got too emotional with a dumb play that could define the series. The Bulls responded to Nene's outburst with poise, which also goes a long way in the playoffs.

Look back at the goalies in the Blackhawks-Blues series, for instance. Moments after blowing a lead with 6.4 seconds left in Game 2 and losing in overtime, Corey Crawford accepted responsibility and acknowledged he had to improve. And he has.

"Not acceptable,'' Crawford said that day. "We're not going to win if I'm going to play like that.''

If Miller felt similarly accountable in the Blues net after losing two straight overtime games, nobody knows. He declined comment Friday night, his silence speaking volumes about the skittish skaters from St. Louis who seem better on the ice than between the ears. This core of Blues players now has lost seven playoff road games in a row.

If they lose an eighth straight Sunday at the United Center, it will be festive day in the city — but probably not as fun as Friday night.